Understanding Homeless

Who are the homeless families that we serve?

Ninety-five percent (95%) of our clients are living at or below the federal poverty level
($22,350 for a family of four in 2011)

About half are employed, the rest are looking for employment while living at the shelter.
Those employed in retail or service positions paying between $7.02 and $8.50 per hour. It
takes 2.4 wage earners at these wages to afford an average priced two-bedroom apartment in
Greeley (approx. $650/mo.)

Seventy-eight percent (78%) are single-parent families and 22% are two parent families.
Increasingly, two-parent families are finding it difficult to remain in their homes.

Most of the adults are young – 62% are age 18 to 30, and 78% are Hispanic

The majority of clients served come from Greeley/Evans (90%) and surrounding Weld County
communities (7%). About 3% of our clients come from other parts of Colorado (primarily
metro Denver) or from out of state.

The average length of stay for our families is about 55 days, and about 80-85% of them find
housing and employment before they leave our program.